One hundred residential streets are slated for repaving work this year in the City of Buffalo. Mayor Byron Brown and leaders of the city's Department of Public Works formally kicked off this year's infrastructure improvement season.
Mill and overlay work was in progress on Arden Avenue near Suffolk Street as Mayor Brown stood nearby.
"We are going to be paving over one hundred residential streets at a cost of roughly $10 million," he announced. "When you add that to the commercial paving program, we'll be doing in excess of $35 million in paving work throughout the City of Buffalo this year."
The commercial paving projects include continuations of work on Northland and Seneca Street, as well as the Bailey Bridge, and new repaving on Niagara, Seneca and Allen Streets. A list of streets scheduled for work this year is posted on the city's website.
Mayor Brown explained that public works crews conduct a thorough survey of city streets determine which are in the worst shape and in the most need of repairs.
Public Works, Parks and Streets Commissioner Steve Stepniak encouraged citizens to call the city's 3-1-1 line if they have questions or concerns, including why their street may not have made the list.
"There's work we have to look at before we pave those streets, as far as the subterranean things," Stepniak said. "We have water lines, we have sewer lines that we evaluate before they are paved. So, there may be a reason why one of those streets are not on that list."
City officials are also urging residents to heed temporary parking notices and cooperate. Just a few yards away from where Mayor Brown and his staff were standing, a Parking Enforcement officer was issuing a ticket to one car parked on Arden Avenue, along the curb.
